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30 



THE ILLINOIS FARMER. 



In numerous instances, the results proved 

 highly satisfactory, as it attained the height 

 of eight or ten feet, as far north as St. 

 Paul's, in Minnesota, and matured its seeds 

 at various points in Massachusetts, New 

 York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and other 

 places further south. The following year, 

 while in France, on a similar mission as 

 above, Mr. Browne obtained several bushels 

 of the seed of this plant, grown from that 

 reputed to have been brought from South 

 Africa, by Mr. Leonard Wray, of London, 

 and which has since proved to be identical 

 with that obtained by this Office ia 1854. 



There appears to be a doubt among 

 many in Europe, as well as in this coun- 

 try, as to the true botanical name of 

 this plant. M. Louis Vilmorin, a scientific 

 cultivator, of Paris, provisionally gave it tlie 

 nameofHolcus saccharatns, which had pre- 

 viously been applied to the common broom - 

 corn, if not to other species, or at least var- 

 ieties, of some allied plant. He also con- 

 jectured that it might be the Sorghum vul- 

 gare, (Andropogon sorghum of others,) 

 and thought that it might comprehend a 

 variety of it, as well as Andropogon cafra, 

 bicolor, etc., of Kunth. Mr Wray, who 

 has devoted much time and attention to the 

 cultivation of this plant, with the view of ex- 

 tracting sugar from its juice, at Cape Natal 

 and other places, states that, in the southeast 

 part of Caflfraria, there are at least fifteen 

 varieties of it, some of them growing to a 

 height of twelve or fifteen feet, with stems 

 as thick as those of the sugar cane (Sac- 

 charum ofiBcinarum.) M- Vilmorin, also, 

 says that, in a collection of seeds sent to 

 the Museum of Natural History at Paris, 

 in 1840, by M. d'Abadie, there were thirty 

 kinds of sorghum, among the growth of 

 which he particularly recognised several 

 plants having stems of a saccharine flavor. 

 Others are of the opinion, that the common 

 broom corn (Holcus saccharutus,) the 

 chocolate or Guinea corn, (Sorghum vul- 

 gare,j and the Chinese sugar cane, (Sor- 

 ghum saccharatnm,) allof which, containing 

 more or less saccharine matter, belong to 

 the same species, but are variations caused 

 by differences of soil and climate, or by a 

 disposition to sport, after the manner of In- 

 dian corn and other plants under cultiva- 

 tion. The Chinese sugar cane, however, 

 differs from the others, in containing a far 

 larger propoit on of juice, and consequently 

 is more valuable for fodder and other eco- 

 nomical uses. 



In 1766, a plant analogous to the one in 

 question, was experimented upon at Flor- 



ence, in Italy, by Fietro Arduiho, for the 

 extraction of sugar; yet it must have been of 

 a different variety, as he describes its seeds 

 as of a clear brown color, while those of the 

 Chinese sugarcane are of a shining jet black, 

 and in appearance identical with those of the 

 Sorghum vulgare, of the old collections, 



DESCRIPTIOX AND HABIT OF GROWTH. 



The Chinese sugar cane, when cultivated 

 on ordinary laud, in the United States, some- 

 what after the manner of broom corn, grows 

 to a heisiht of from 8 to 16 feet, while in 

 Europe it does not attain much more than 

 half of this altitude. Its stems are straight 

 and smooth, often covered with a white 

 bloom, or down, having leaves somewhat 

 flexuous, falling over and greatly resembling 

 in appearance those of Indian corn, but more 

 elegant in form. When cultivated in hills, 

 containing eight or ten stalks each, it puts 

 forth at its top a conical panicle of dense 

 flowers, green at first, but changing into vio- 

 let shades, and finally into dark purple, at 

 maturity. In France and the central and 

 northern sections of the United States, it 

 has thus far proved an annual; but from ob- 

 servations made by M. Yilmorin, as well as 

 experiments in our southern Stages, it is con- 

 jectured that, from the vigor and fullness of 

 the lower part of the stalks, in autumn, by 

 protecting them during the winter, they 

 would produce new plants the following 

 spring. It stands drought far better than 

 Indian corn, and will resist the effects of con- 

 siderable frost without injury, after the pan- 

 icles appear, but not in its younger and 

 more tender state. If suffered to remain in 

 the field after the seeds have ripened' and 

 have been removed, where the season is 

 sufficiently warm and long, new panicles will 

 shoot out at the topmost joints, one or more 

 to each stalk, and mature a second crop of 

 seeds. The average yield of seed to each 

 panicle is at least a gill. 



CULTIVATION. 



Since its introduction into this country, 

 the Chinese sugar cane has proved itself 

 well adapted to. our geographical range of, 

 Indian corn. It is of easy cultivation, be- 

 ing similar to that of maize or broom corn, 

 but will prosper in a much poorer soil. It 

 does not succeed so well, however, when 

 sown broadcast with the view of producing 

 foJder, as it will not grow to mueh more 

 than one-half of its usual height. If the 

 seeds arc planted in May, ia the Middle 

 States, or still earlier at the South, two 

 crops of fodder can be grown in a season 

 from the Same roots — the first one in June 

 or July, to be cut before the panicles ap- 



